If you ask people in Silicon Valley what makes it work, they will talk about many things — the ability to fail, the lack of hierarchy, the culture of competition. One thing almost no one mentions is the government. And yet, the Valley’s origins are deeply tied to government support. The reason there were so many engineers in California in the 1950s and 1960s was because large defense companies had attracted them there. Most of the legendary start-ups that fueled the computer revolution — Fairchild Semiconductor, Intel — got off the ground largely because the military, and later NASA, would buy their products until they became cheap and accessible enough for the broader commercial market. GPS, the technology that now powers the information revolution, was developed for the military.

And then there was government funding for research, which is sometimes thought of simply as large grants to universities for basic science but often was far more ingenious. My favorite example comes from Walter Isaacson’s fascinating new book, “The Innovators.” In the 1950s, the U.S. government funded a massive project at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, employing equal numbers of psychologists and engineers who worked together to find ways “that humans could interact more intuitively with computers and information could be presented with a friendlier interface.” Isaacson traces how this project led directly to the user-friendly computer screens of today as well as ARPANET, the precursor of the Internet.

Federal funding for basic research and technology should be utterly uncontroversial. It has been one of the greatest investments in human history. And yet it has fallen to its lowest level as a percentage of GDP in four decades.

Money is for a protection, says your bible. Not something to stake your future on. Something to protect you and your family and perhaps a needy person as well. Though it can and is and has been a root of all sorts of bad things.

I believe that Chicago is cold almost every day! My close friend who lived there most of his adult life will not go back.
In Chicago, I feel on a street at 18 and learned instantly how to walk on that city's eternal ice.
Careful @ banasy!

Ronald Reagan was one of our greatest presidents.
Arnold is, perhaps, the greatest bodybuilder of all time. I was fortunate enough to work out near - not with – him several times, and it was an inspiration.

Arnold knocked me over downtown whilst jogging; he helped me up and apologized.

He was there filming of "True Lies", although he was jogging on his own time; it was like running into a brick wall.

January 8, 2015 at 10:02 am |

Philip

Filming had to be delayed many times during Arnoild's last 6 movies. Brain damage caused by his use of steroids for so many years made it very difficult for him to remember his simple lines. The GOP wrote him simpler scripts when he became ACTING governor.

January 8, 2015 at 10:07 am |

Philip

Ronnie Raygun was a lifelong democrat. A Hollywood actor. He was only acting like a republican, Joey. The big boys are all puppets you should know by now.

January 8, 2015 at 10:09 am |

Philip

...and Frank Zane was the greatest bodybuilder of all time. Arnold Swharzawhatever looks like a big dumb hick standing next to Zane.

Innovation is key to the evolution of mankind not biologically but scientifically. Cloning is unacceptable while cure for cancer lingers.

However, innovation is not a pressing issue in the world today. There are others. Here is one topmost in my list.

The existing geo-political paradigm has failed. Poverty, schisms, conflicts, democratic demise is prevalent and the world is a divided place. We need change. Change from status quo. Change from the UN system. Change from current superpower imbalance and ineffectiveness. In this context, everything else becomes redundant and irrelevant.

So Fareed please focus on blogging on how the lingering issues in the world are going to be solved.

How do you know that the US Congress funded Viral Cancer Research Project of 1964-1979 didn't splice chimpanzee genes into the NAZI made AIDS virus to make it look like AIDS came from Africa?

January 8, 2015 at 10:13 am |

palintwit

We were warned

"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them."

Governments with very large armies no longer need organized religions to preach their children onto the battlefield. Unemployment rates remain high and so million clamor to join armies just to have a job, and of course, fight for God&Country no matter which country one happened to be born in.
And it's a no brainer that church leaders and orgs didn't become super-rich by way of non-profit activities. The NSA has their number. Religious orgs are going DOWN.

I was talking about the population of Mississippi and Arkansas. Not their handful of state officials. Those are fat lazy people living off of welfare for decades. Not republicans. Most of them never voted for anything until Obama ran for president. Then they all voted.

Cute, your jobless question.
Last night I was in a (tense) rehearsal until very late on a very cold night. Fortunately, they had sent a car for me.
I am off today, but then not for the net four days of absurdly long hours and travel.

A lot of you don't know this but ENRON ripped US off for about 1/2 trillion dollars and used stolen funds to upgrade India's power grid. And are currently charging Indian citizens 3-5 times more than originally agreed upon. ENRON did the same thing to California years ago. I was living in an average 2 bedroom apartment paying over $1000 per month for electricity in San Diego at the time.

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Call BR-549 to set-up your free evaluation today. 9 out of 10 of our clients are told they are "bi polar". YOU could be next. Call today! Or late tonight. 24/7.

I do not know why anyone would think an actor accidentally knocking me down on a sidewalk, then apologizing and extending a hand to help me up is exactly the same as what BC and ML did in the Oval Office.

I don't understand the thought process of how one would arrive at that conclusion.

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The Global Public Square is where you can make sense of the world every day with insights and explanations from CNN's Fareed Zakaria, leading journalists at CNN, and other international thinkers. Join GPS editor Jason Miks and get informed about global issues, exposed to unique stories, and engaged with diverse and original perspectives.